Dog birthday party food

What to serve the dogs

When dishing out the birthday cake, make sure every dog has his own plate. (In fact, if any of the dogs gets possessive around food, you may want to separate the dogs completely when they eat.) You can serve the cake in real bowls that you send home with the guests as party favors–we like this party animal bowl–or on paper plates, like these “Do I smell cake?” plates.

As for the cake itself, you may be able to find one at a dog bakery if you have one nearby, or buy a dog cake mix online or at a pet supply store. If you’re up for baking from scratch, we recommend Casey’s Carob Cake–named for one of our office dogs, and–since it’s chocolate free–safe for dogs.

Keep in mind that serving dogs food they don’t often get can upset tummies. Keep poop bags on hand, or better yet, have your party outside.

What to serve the people

Of course, the human guests need cake too. It’s safest to avoid chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, since you never know what will get swiped off a side table when no one’s looking. For a festive touch, serve the cake on party napkins and drinks with bone straws.